The Home Paternity Test

The home paternity test has made having a paternity test done a very simple and cost-effective process. Upon ordering your paternity test, a DNA sample collection kit will be sent to your home, where you will be required to collect your DNA samples using oral swabs that are rubbed against the inside of the mouth. The collected samples are simply sent back to the laboratory for testing. Paternity test results are generally available after a couple of days.

The importance of Finding the Right DNA Testing Company

Once you enter your online search for a company offering DNA based tests, you will be faced with a whole array of results. So which one do you chose? Obviously pricing will usually be one of the main determining factors but it should not be the only one. In fact, along with price you need to make sure the laboratory analyzing your samples is accredited to do these tests. The main laboratory accreditation is ISO 17025 which specifies the general requirements for the competence to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sampling. It covers DNA testing labs. Many laboratories, such as International Biosciences, EasyDNA and The Genetic Testing Laboratories are accredited, but others are not. Make sure you you look out for the lab accreditation on the website. If they have it, you should easily be able to spot it.

What are the Advantages of Carrying Out a Home Paternity Test ?

Saving of Time and Money: by doing a home paternity test you save yourself having to go to a clinic and paying expensive clinic fees. Your can order an online DNA test which allows you to take samples yourself in the comfort of the home environment. This means that you will be paying only for the laboratory analysis and some administration costs.

Accuracy: The home paternity DNA test is able to provide you with extremely accurate results thanks to a highly accurate method of DNA amplification and replication known as PCR or polymerase chain reaction; the probability of paternity is above 99.99% in cases where the tested man is the biological father. If the alleged father is not the biological father of the child, he will be excluded with 100% probability.

User-friendly home test kit: The sample collection kits are generally designed to make the whole procedure as simple and straightforward as possible. Generally, the kit contains colour coded envelopes in which you find cotton swabs. A set of step-by-step, detailed instructions are provided along with a consent form which you need to sign and fill out providing a few basic personal details. In our guide on using the DNA test kit you will find a more detailed description of the procedures involved in the collection of your DNA samples.

Efficiency: The paternity test results are generally ready in around 5 working days, and are sent be email making it extremely quick and efficient. Some companies also offer an Express Testing option which will make the results available within two working days.

Accreditation: It is important that your home paternity test is carried out with companies that use laboratories that are accredited. This will guarantee the quality of your results, accredited laboratories use state of the art testing equipment as well as following stringent testing procedures, ensuring your results will be both reliable and accurate.

Convenience: Your DNA sample collection kit can be sent to you at any address, country or continent making it extremely convenient and practical to carry out. Different kits can be sent to different addresses, or even countries, making it possible to carry out a paternity test even when the participants live in very different locations.

Should I include the mother’s DNA sample?

A lot of paternity tests get done without the mother’s sample and this is not usually a problem. Ideally, the mother’s sample should be included in the test to help push up the levels of accuracy of your result to the maximum possible. This is not to say that without the mother you will not have accurate results. Anything but. In fact, results will be very accurate even without the mother’s sample. However, there may be cases, which are very rare, where genetic mutations can occur. In such a case it is hard to give a conclusive result without the mother’s sample. A paternity test carried out without the mother’s sample will still provide a minimum probability of paternity of 99.9%. If you include the sample of the mother, that probability will go up to 99.99%.